Against All Odds
by Guesswhat
Summary: Carter in Darfur, trying to help the clinic running. They're short staffed and need women. He knows who he could ask, he only doesn’t know if he should, or maybe even more important: if he dares. A couple reunited. Might satisfy both Luby's and Carby's .
1. Part I 'Asking Her'

**A/N:** Carter in Darfur. Just like in season 12, but with some changes. Changes that include Abby Lockhart. (Abby and Luka are not together, but had that one night stand after 'The Human Shield.') Well, enjoy, and tell me what you think of it. If you had the time to read... Take the time to review please. thanks. (I'm not a native English speaker, please correct any mistakes, I do the best I can!)  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not mine  
**Summary: **Carter is in Darfur, trying to help a short staffed clinic running. They need staff, mostly women, who want and can help. He knows who he could ask, he only doesn't know if he should, or maybe even more important; if he dares.  
**Extra:** You might think it's impossible. Well, in the show it is. Not here, not in my story. The title says enough!

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**_Against All Odds_**

Part I – 'Asking her'

_  
'Abby,_

_I'm sorry if my handwriting is unreadable, the bedlamp broke last night. I don't exactly know why I grabbed a paper at this moment, and I'm not sure what I want to tell you.  
So well, first, how is County going? I heard that Luka got the chief position, so I'm sure everything is going more than fine. I know we haven't talked much for the last, what, year, and I really regret that. Still, this letter is for you. If everything goes the way it should you'll receive this at home, and not at work so no one will have a chance to read this, unlike it happened before. I regret that too. But this isn't a letter full of 'I'm sorry's,' although they might be called for.  
Well, Kem is in Pakistan, providing care at a camp for children who lost their family during the earthquake, and I'm here in Darfur. Not in a tent this time, but well protected by a musquito net in an actual bed...'_

I sigh and try to catch a glimpse of moonlight through the opening between the bricks so I can read over my writing. I shake my head and turn on my back. Why am I doing this? Why am I writing her, here, right now? I don't know. Or maybe I just don't want to know, that's probably the case. I sigh again and turn back to my writing position.

'_...unlike all the other people here. We have a total of twenty beds, fifteen for patients and five for the Alliance Médécine groupe...'_

Why am I telling her this? I know what I want to ask, what I want to say. Stop with the facts John.

'_...The good thing is that everything is more organized here, better than in the Congo, and we, the doctors, are safe as long as we don't leave the camp. But the medical equipment is practically non existent. We have to let people go, although we could have saved a whole lot of them if we'd been at County. But we're not. We let go a man today, who...'_

Before I realize what I'm doing I'm writing down the whole story. About the soldiers, the hot water they threw over his body, the shots they discharged just above our heads, how we found them, how we brought him back and burried him.

'_...and then everyone went back to work. Just like that...'_

A tear drops om the paper. Damn. I turn my head and rub my eyes dry. I don't want this to be a letter full of inkt spots. Done with the tears. I cough and swallow the thick lumb in my throat away. Come on, get to the point.

'_...Luckily things like that don't happen every day. Two days ago it seemed like there weren't any soldiers for miles around. We organized a small soccer tournament, that was very relaxing for both the doctors as the refugees around here._

_But why I'm writing you about all this is because we need...'_

Argh. This is not gonna work.

'_...staff. Doctors, nurses, and especially women. The women who come here, who've been raped by soldiers, don't want any men to touch them. Dr. Dakarai, the man who runs this camp here, asked me to look for women, or gynaecologists, who want to help here, who want to come to Darfur. Because we really, really need them, especially with the huge amount of women over here…'_

This is stupid. What the heck do I expect from her? To just fly to Africa and help here? To come to me? It's bold from me to ask her this, like this. Abby was always against this idea. The 'get yourself killed' idea, as she liked to call it. But she did understand me, in some way I guess, she did. She always did. Not the first time of course, but let's not get into that again. I turn on my back again. God I'm restless tonight.

You know what, let's quit this whole letter thing. It's useless, it will take at least five days to arrive in her apartment, it's nonsense. Unneccesarily.

With that thought I lay the letter under my bed and close my eyes. I don't fall asleep though. It's a bad idea. Bad. Bad. Bad. I repeat it a hundred times, softly whispering it to the dark ceiling above me. But it's not convincing.

And then, with the knowledge that I won't catch any sleep if I don't just finish the letter, I sit up, feel with my hand under the bed until the paper is back in my hand, and begin to write again.

'_...so if you can, I don't know, ask around at County? I know you don't feel much for these sort of expeditions, but they are necessary. Trust me. I also know that you're not an adventurer of this sort, but you'd really be great here. I know you can handle these situations, I know you'll keep your head cool. But maybe it's too bold to ask.  
Still, please consider it. Just think about it. Think that you'd be a great help out, or talk to Luka, please. You'd be the perfect help out. But you don't have to, realize that. You must be grinning now, or maybe not even reading anymore, and that's okay. That's really fine. But please, please, consider.  
And besides you being a real good doctor, I'd like to see you again. But that can be in Chicago too of course._

_So that's why I wrote you, that's what I wanted to ask you. For a period of two weeks, that's what we need before a part of the staff comes back from the north. Just think about it, and let me know._

_Love, Carter.'_

I sigh again, knowing that I rambled my way through this letter. But at least I did ask her. I did.

* * *

**  
Thank you for reading.**

_(Preview for (an eventually) next chapter: The letter has been send, but will it be read, and what will the reaction then be?)_

**Please, leave a review to tell me if you like this or not, and if you want me to continue!**


	2. Part II 'Against All Odds'

**A/N 1:** I've decided to reupload the second part. So, I've left not only this, but some other stories, almost three years ago. It's been three years since I started writing fanfic. Now Carter is back, I came back. This a story I started two years ago, with a very unrealistic pretty much impossible plot. I received 30 reviews for just two chapters and now I'm wondering if you guys are interested in me continuing this. Same for "Our Golden Year" and "The Young Troubled." Let me know!

**A/N 2:  
**Carter is in Darfur. Just like in season 12, but with some changes. Changes that include Abby Lockhart. (Abby and Luka are not together, but did have that one night stand stand after 'The Human Shield.') Also she's not pregnant. Well, enjoy, and tell me what you think of it. If you had the time to read... Take the time to review please. thanks. (Oh, and Susan is still in Chicago!)   
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not mine   
**Summary: **Carter is in Darfur, trying to help a short staffed clinic running. They need staff, mostly women, who want and can help. He knows who he could ask, he only don't know if he should, or maybe even more important; if he dares.   
**Extra:** You might think it's impossible. Well, in the show it is. Not here, not in my story. The title says enough! This is not my native language.

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_**Against All Odds**_

Part II – 'Against All Odds'

Is he serious? He's serious. Oh my god, he really is serious. And crazy. Totally crazy. He wants me in Africa? With him? Darfur? That's like... Well, impossible. I'm not going to Darfur. I'm not going to do that. What an idea.

I know he's serious, I know he really means it. But he can't expect me to get on a plane in eight weeks to spend two weeks with him in Darfur. I've always been against that whole third world country idea. Not that I don't appreciate the work he's doing, but it's not working out for me.

There are far too many reasons not to go there. I have a life here, I have an apartment, colleagues, hell, I have a job. I'd leave anything behind for two weeks.

Two weeks.

That's not that long.

It's like a short vacation. The sort of thing I haven't had for what, three years. A working vacation.

In Darfur.

With Carter.

See, stupid idea.

But the vision of being forced to talk and work with Luka again tomorrow isn't very pleasant either. 'Just friends,' we decided. Or well, _I _decided. And now we're a little uncomfortable. It definitely meant more to him than to me.

But back to Carter? We lost touch since he came back from the Congo, and now this letter. I don't exactly know what he expects. Probably he expects a 'no' and hopes for a 'yes.' And why not a yes?

I grin and get up from my couch. Why not a yes Abby? Perhaps because you're not an adventurer, because you're not that immune to stress as Carter might think. But they do need help. They need women.

I'm a woman.

A doctor. With no life here. Not at the moment that is. And it doesn't seem such a bad idea to break away from this routine life for two weeks. It brought Carter a whole new life, he was pretty much reborn when he came back. In a good way, for him. Not for me. Or maybe... Oh whatever.

I could just do it. I could just go and inquire about the requirements. I could just... go. And I'd like to see Carter again as well.

You know what?

I'll inform myself.

I'll talk to Luka about it, if that's going to work out, and then I'll make a decision.

Only thing is that deep inside, I already know that I want to go. Make a change, do something against all odds; go to Darfur. 

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Two days later I'm sitting in the lounge with Susan, who I – after a lot of begging and nagging from her side – handed Carter's letter.

"Darfur?" She asks laughing with raised eyebrows after she's done reading. "You?"

"Yeah... me," I answer a little embarrassed. It really is that weird huh.

"And when did this happen?"

"This week."

"You wanna get killed in Africa?"

"It's not about getting killed. It's not the Congo," I answer.

"Yeah, but it is _Sudan_."

"It's about basic health care, treating malaria, tuber culosis, kala azar..."

"Kala what?"

"Kala azar. Transmitted by the bite of a female sandfly."

"You really got yourself informed huh?"

I nod and roll my eyes.

"And you wanna go there?"

"I think so."

"What if you get sick yourself?"

"They have vaccinations."

"Okay, but Abby... you've been a doctor for only two years, are you sure you're up to this?"

"Oh, c'mon Susan. I worked at OB, I've been a nurse here for what, four years. I know how to treat patients."

"And this has nothing to do with Carter?"

"Not really. I mean, of course maybe. Somewhere. But that's not why I want to go there."

"I'm not convinced."

"I didn't expect you to be." And I'm not myself, but hey, I just want to go.

"But what brings you to Sudan? You can provide basic healthcare all over America, why Africa?"

"Well, that's the offer I got. And maybe seeing all the struggles of a thirld-world country will, I don't know, change my life." Oh, how corny.

"Is that what you want? _Change your life_?" Susan laughs, but there's a hint of concern in her voice.

"In a way I guess, yes."

"What happened to 'there's no place like my couch' Abby?"

"Still there. It's not like I'm gonna be like Carter."

"Well he sure has an impact on you."

"No. No, he hasn't." I get up and walk over to my locker.

"Oh yeah he has. He convinced you to come to Sudan. That's not just something."

"They need help. And maybe this is what I need right now."

"Spending three hot weeks in a tent with Carter?"

"God, Susan..."

"What? Not a crazy line of thought right?"

"Not to you maybe," I smirk as I open my locker to get my labcoat.

"Okay, but what then? You think nothing will happen?"

"Look Susan, I don't know. I don't think so. But maybe it is a good idea for us, you know, to talk."

"There?" She really seems clearly against this idea.

For a moment I don't speak. I put on my labcoat, close my locker and sit back down on my chair.

"I just kinda miss him. As a friend. And clearly he wants to see me too. And since they need doctors there, and since my life is just completely standard here, why not try something new?"

"There's really nothing wrong with standard. I know you miss him, but that letter is not...you know.."

"I know what it is. It's an invitation from a good friend."

"Your ex in Sudan."

"I'd rather not see it that way," I grin and stand up to refill our coffee mugs.

"Well, I don't think there's much to see."

"I changed," I answer as I pour new coffee in. "We both did. And I just need some time somewhere else, where there's no time to think about my mother, or Eric, or Jake, or money. I'm sure it will bring good things."

"I know Abby, but it is Carter you're going to."

I turn back from the coffee machine. "And women and children who need help. Help that I can provide."

"There's no way of talking you out of this huh?" She smiles as I sit down again and hand her her coffee.

"Nope," I say smiling. "I really don't think so."

**Thank you for reading.**

_(Preview for next chapter: No way of talking her out of this. No way of talking ME out of this. It's really going to happen, Abby is going to Darfur, but will she still be so sure when she arrives? )all in the next chapter.)_

**Please, leave a review to tell me what you think of this!**


	3. Part III 'Here We Go'

**A/N:** Carter in Darfur. Just like in season 12, but with some changes. Changes that include Abby Lockhart. (Abby and Luka are not together, and she isn't pregnant but they did have that one night stand after 'The Human Shield.')  
I'm not a native English speaker, please correct any mistakes, I do the best I can!  
**POV:** Yes, Luka's POV in this chapter as well.  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, not mine  
**Summary: **Carter is in Darfur, trying to help a short staffed clinic running. They need staff, mostly women, who want and can help. He knows who he could ask, he only doesn't know if he should, or maybe even more important; if he dares.  
**Extra:** You might think it's impossible. Well, in the show it is. Not here, not in my story. So sit back, read, enjoy, and _leave a review_!  
Reviews: I keep getting alerts of people who added my or my story to their favourites, but from some of those people I've never received a review. I very much appreciate your support, and it would be nice to know what you think of the story. So all of you, please leave me a little review!!!

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_**Against All Odds**_

Part III – 'Here We Go'

I look around my apartment. I seem to have everything. Once more I go through my bag. I've got all the papers, enough clothes and minimized everything else. I get a water bottle from the fridge and put on my coat. As I stand in the doorway I look over my back one last time. I feel immature being so afraid of leaving. I have a big knot in my stomach, God this so nerve wracking. It's not that I'm nervous about leaving my _apartment_, but I am nervous of leaving to freaking _Darfur_.

I take a deep breath and step into the hallway to close the door. As I walk downstairs to the taxi that will take me to the airport, my mind drifts off to Luka once again. We didn't really say goodbye to each other. I just told him I was leaving and after that nothing much happened. Not between us that is. In my head he's been present every single minute. I just can't stop thinking about him and I still haven't figured out if that's a good thing or not.

_**Two days earlier…**_

"_Luka, can I talk to you for a minute?" He's standing with his back towards me, flipping through a chart. _

"_Sure," he anwers and he turns around. Two beautiful eyes to drown in give me a questioning look._

"_Good," I nod smiling. _

_We walk over to a quiet corner of the admit desk. Not knowing where to put my hands I lean with my elbow on the desk, and pull my hair against my ear with my other hand._

_He looks at me expectantly. Here we go. I'm going to tell him that I'm leaving for Darfur._

_I lick my lips, look to the ground and then look at him._

_"I'm going to Darfur," I state insecure and roll my eyes._

_

* * *

_

_She's what? I think my jaw just dropped to the ground. Darfur? Abby? Abby to Darfur? Ok. "Ok," I answer._

_She frowns at me._

"_Aren't you... at least, surprised?" _

_I just stare at her. She's leaving. After that one night when we spend the night together, I waited for her. Waited for her to think about what happened, about what she wanted. I gave her the time. I didn't need that time. I had known it right from that moment when she had walked in my apartment and I had kissed her. I knew I love her, that I want to be with her. I have tried not to get my hopes up but I couldn't help to at least think of what we could have been or could become. I thought it was somehow, somewhere mutual._

_She gives me a worried glance. "Are you okay?" She asks._

_I scratch my neck. "Yeah," I lie. I don't want you to go, is what I actually think. _

_She nods slowly, purses her lips together. "All right then."_

_Hesitantly she smiles at me. "I'll let you know when I leave." And then she turns around. Don't turn around._

"_Abby," I say just before she's about to walk away. _

_A little shocked she turns around. "Yeah?"  
_

"_I thought..." Never mind._

_She raises her eyebrows in expectation.  
_

_I sigh. "there was something going on between us?" I say shrugging my shoulders._

_There is, I think. There is. The fact he called me back just now gave me goosebumps all over. I want to be honest with him. _

"_Maybe there is," I whisper. Afraid to face him I stare at the ground._

_"You don't want that?"_

"_I..." I try to find the words for my feelings. Full of love, full of eagerness to just walk over and capture myself in his strong arms, holding me firmly. But those feelings go together with confusion about what I want and need in life, and if Luka is the one to make it all right. _

"_I'm not so sure," is the best thing I manage to push over my lips._

_The disappointment is all over his face. The eager look he used to give me for the past weeks disappears from his eyes, his smile, his whole expression. _

_He just nods, and then he finds my gaze. Our eyes lock together and neither of us blinks. A feeling that I can only describe as immense strong electricity takes over me and I can't do nothing but look him in the eyes. It seems to last for ages, and it such a good and safe feeling. _

Then I was saved by Sam who called us both in for a trauma. I know 'saved' isn't the right word, because it's not exactly the situation one would like to be saved from. But with Luka, that feeling of what is really honestly purely love, is not per se the right feeling. I've felt it for him before, and it brought us an immense distance. A distance that's beginning to shrink, but a distance that I want to keep. It's my distance. My safe distance. And to make it as literally as possible, I'm flying all the way to Darfur.

* * *

It's freezing cold inside the plane, I can't help to shiver and yawn from tiredness and cold. Still I can't find sleep because of all that's going on inside my head. Not knowing what else to I get all my papers and DWB pass out of my backpack to go through them once more.

"Abby Lockhart, MD. Location: Darfur." Are the only two lines that my eyes seem to see over and over again.

"Doctors without Borders?"

Surprised I look at the African man besides me, who apparently noticed the badge and envelope with information in my hands.

"Yes, in fact, for the first time," I answer polite and close my bag again. "Abby Lockhart,"

"Ibrahim Ahmed, " he answers and shakes my hand. "I've been in northern Kenya four months ago, three failed rainy seasons."

"Oh, wow…"

"Yeah, we set up a feeding program, delivered about a half million liters of water. See, all the animals die because of the lack of water, and that's where the people used to live from. But our clinic helped a lot of them, it's great to see people leaving after they regained their strength."

"Well, I hope I can mean something in Darfur."

"Oh, I'm sure. You have enough lives to safe."

"I guess."

"Ever been to Khartoum?"

"No," I laugh. "No, never been to Africa. It's that a friend asked me to come and help him."

"Short staffed as always," he nods smiling and drinks from his bottle. "But since it's important work, and grateful too, you'd expect more people. More doctors, who want to 'help people."

I nod a little insecure. "Yeah, but there is, of course, a danger."

"There's always a danger. And it's not an even match to the amount of help you'll be able to give."

"That's true." Still it scares the crap out of me, but I don't think it's a good idea to tell this experienced man about that.

"You're nervous?"

Caught. "Well, yes, a little," I smile uncomfortbale. "I've been working at County in Chicago for seven years, and never really… left the city." I blush at that.

"Good change then," he just answers. "You'll learn from this, and you won't regret your decision."

"No, I'm pretty sure about that." Hell I'm not. But well, he's probably right. Who knows, I might finally figure out what that particular thing is, that connected Luka and Carter so well. Again my eyes drift off to the window.

"Don't do anything you're not supposed to do though. Don't try to safe lives you can't."

Surprised I turn back to the man, who now closed his eyes. "Don't try to be a hero. If you do, you won't be any good to those people."

We don't speak again for the rest of the flight.

* * *

The crowd had pushed me straight through passport control all the way to the luggage area. But now that I've picked up my bag there's no crowd to follow anymore. People seem to disappear in every direction and start to push me aside, making clear that this is not the place to stand still for ignorant strangers like me. I search through the gigantic space for an 'exit' sign and finally I find one.

Ten minutes later I've managed my way out to the entrance hall. For the umpteenth time I get the paper with instructions out of the pocket of my jeans. "Wait outside of the main entrance for someone from DWB who will be there to come pick you up around 14:00 local time." I swing my bag over my shoulder and walk outside wait and catch some fresh air but as soon as I step out I feel the heat take over me. My God, they have some good air conditioning inside the airport. Hell, this is hot. I decide to put my DWB badge on my shirt to be recognizable and wait. I spend the upcoming minutes scanning the crowd for anyone who could be from DWB. Sweat begins to trickles of my forehead and I keep wiping it away while trying to cool myself by blowing my breath up against my face.

And then, all of a sudden, I recognize a face that I would recognize anywhere at any time. Immediately I don't feel the heat surrounding me anymore and as soon we make contact I smile and raise my hand up a little bit, waving somewhat insecure to tell him hello. His lips curl into a genuine smile as he waves back.

I can't keep my eyes of him as he comes closer. When he managed his way out of the crowd he walks over towards me and hugs me. As he pulls back he rests his hands on my shoulders. Smiling I look at him.

"How are you?" He starts and laughs.

I laugh and pull my hair behind my ears. "I'm very well Carter."

* * *

**Thank you so much for reading.  
**  
(_Preview for next chapter: As soon as they're back in the camp Carter has to go back to work immediately. That leaves Abby alone in a completely new environment. At the end of the day it's finally time to catch up a little bit...)_

**Review, review, review! Make me a very happy girl! Honestly, I check my email every freaking minute to check if anyone reviewed. Yes, it is an addiction. Yes, you can help! **


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